Association between estrogen receptors and weight in women with breast cancer.

A significant association between body weight and estrogen receptor protein (ERP) was noted in 83 women with primary and metastatic breast cancer. Thirteen of 34 (54%) women with weight greater than 150 lb had low or absent receptor protein (less than 10 femtomoles/mg of cytoplasmic protein) compared to 15 of 59 (25%) women with weight less than 150 lb (P less than 0.025). The observed association was stronger in the group of 62 postmenopausal women (P less than 0.01). The findings suggest that the endocrine and metabolic milieu in women with increased weight favors autonomous growth of breast cancer, and adjuvant treatment in this group should be planned accordingly.